Galvin sends seven ballot proposals to lawmakers

Charter school supporters march on Beacon Hill earlier this year to demand that lawmakers lift the cap on the number of charter schools allowed in Massachusetts (NewBostonPost photo by Evan Lips)

BOSTON – Secretary of State Bill Galvin said seven initiative petition campaigns submitted enough certified voter signatures to meet the requirement for consideration by lawmakers and that he will send the proposals to the Legislature for consideration during the session that starts in January, moving the initiatives one step closer to the ballot.

In addition to a constitutional amendment seeking to impose an additional tax on incomes above $1 million, the six questions deal with expanded gaming, charter schools, Common Core education standards, protection of farm animals, recreational marijuana and health care pricing.

Once the certified petitions are presented to the House clerk, they will be assigned to committees for review and public hearings. If lawmakers fail to act on the proposals by May 3, campaigns must collect another 10,792 signatures by July 6 in order to secure ballot access in November 2016.

The constitutional amendment initiative must be acted upon by two joint sessions of the Legislature before it could appear on the 2018 statewide ballot.